Kejriwal invites Congress for alliance, JJP rules it out

NEW DELHI: The AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday appealed to the Congress to join the proposed alliance between his party and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) but his offer was snubbed by his Haryana ally, which said it can “never have any truck” with the Congress.

Mr Kejriwal earlier on Wednesday told reporters that an alliance between AAP, Congress and Jannayak Janata Party would defeat the BJP in the state. “Let’s come together in Haryana to defeat the BJP,” he said. However, within minutes after Mr Kejriwal’s comments, the Jannayak Janata Party issued a strong-worded statement, saying it can “never have any truck” with the Congress.

JJP national general secretary K.C. Bangar said that the JJP has been formed on the ideology of late Choudhary Devi Lal who has always fought against Congress so JJP will never enter into any alliance with the Congress and will not
be part of any which includes Congress.

He said the  JJP can enter into an alliance with only like-minded parties whereas the ideology of Congress does not match with its views.

Mr Bangar, however, said the party is strengthening its organisation in all 10 Lok Sabha and 90 assembly seats. “It is capable of fighting elections in all these seats,” he
added.

On Monday, Congress President Rahul Gandhi ruled out any alliance with Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and asked his party workers in the capital to win all seven Lok Sabha seats following which Mr Kejriwal said his party would win all seven parliamentary seats in Delhi “on its own”.

The AAP had supported the JJP in the recent Jind by-poll in Haryana and both parties have been in talks to ally for the Assembly elections scheduled later this year.